Simmer
by nekked
Summary: What else is there now, but to make this spot beside him constantly hers. — Natsu/Yukino; fluff


**A/N: **_Why do I constantly find I can't find the second name to my fics for this series on the drop down list. Why. /ANGSTY FIST SHAKE_

_T__his is basically the cutest thing ever so shut up and deal._

_I own nothing. Enjoy~_

* * *

"You can stay with us for now."

Yukino has never known idiots. Not this kind, anyway. Arguably, most men are one of a variety of idiot types.

There are idiots of the classical sort, what she's been employed by, served and strived to be held in regard to for most of her young life. She's worked hard. For idiots, with idiots, been pitted against other idiots.

There are idiots now, in this world, who say things with the same resolute tone as the other idiots, but somehow move it under her feet to _hold her up_ instead of crushing her back to the Earth.

There are idiots who can, for no reason at all but to reassure her, smile like that, grab her shaking fingers like that, drag her towards something unknown. It could be amazing. It felt more scary right now than anything, but there's a buzz in the warmth of his fingers that tells her it could be amazing later.

These idiots burn. They burn to kill everything in their paths. They burn for the sake of burning _everything_, turn everything to ash, cover the Earth. And then, someday when you look back at what it used to be, you see that it was necessary to burn and put something new and better in its place.

"Ah!"

He turns to blink at her when he's let go of her hand, her mind having been elsewhere when he explained he would talk to Lucy about the situation. Her eyes are large, pleading. The sort that glue a man to the place he's ventured, feeling guilty he's even gone that far.

She can't really say anything. She doesn't know what to say. All she knows is her hands have never felt so full…to take it away from her…it's a sting her tongue finds nothing to compare to. Not even to leaving Sabertooth. No. That sort of sting is not to be put in the same category.

Instead she ignores the saliva built in her throat and chokes, "I'm scared they'll…come back for you."

It's a sad excuse, but she can't think of any other reason to keep these hands to herself. He has no reason to understand her reasoning. Hours before, they'd been enemies. To be that much of an idiot—

"Ah," he says, brows creasing a bit with concern. "You don't really have to worry about me, but…I guess if I was you…"

"You can sleep with me," Happy interjects, hand to his forehead and standing tall. "I'll get Natsu to kick their butts if they show up."

The water prepared to fall should she need to show some feminine desperation drains from her eyes, laughter replacing it. She looks to her host to see if he has objections. He scratches a finger at his cheek and shrugs.

"I suppose it's fine. Nobody's really awake now anyway. We can explain in the morning."

Supposing she was completely innocent she probably would've just gone and done what she was supposed to. Which was follow the cat to his corner of the room full of snoring, uncategorized idiots. Instead, she ghosts beside Natsu, and pulls the exhaustion card. He stares at her collapsed figure in his bed and pouts at the wall, knowing what chivalry calls for, knowing he's never been particularly chivalrous in the first place, and knowing that if somebody were to find him in this bed with a woman, his beatings would be multiple, painful, and full of ignorance for her situation. Yep. Floor looks good. Fantastic, even.

He moves to remove his clothes, thinking she's asleep. But she's not, and her hand hovers over empty, dark space until she's grasped his pants leg. Tilting his chin down to look at her, he can see the glint of her still fragile, frightened eyes looking up at him. Without thinking twice, he kneels down to her level, close enough that she can feel the heat radiating off his face. She smells passion. She swoons into half sleep, no smile that gentle meant to go, as far as she's known, with such strength.

"What do you need, huh."

She still can't talk. Her small fist clenches the fabric tighter, hoping the varied levels of idiot at least understand she's not letting go.

The most pleasing sensation she thinks she's known up to now, being moved to the side so he can lay parallel with her. His smile warms under the sheets, making her dizzy.

"You don't have to be scared anymore. We'll kick their asses tomorrow."

She thinks she can't say anything still, but her tongue betrays her.

"Could I…" Choke. "I mean…if I speak to your master…"

"Yeah."

Like it's the simplest thing in the world…

"Gazille's a bigger jerk 'an you. Levi's got a fat crush on him now."

He giggles, and though she has no clue why that's so funny, yearns to be included in everything he laughs at, she smiles a return response. She swears to smile at anything he ever smiles at that stems from her.

"You'll make a lot of friends."

There's a bit of dirt, even through the dark, tainting his brilliant face. She's settled, and willing to focus more on the promises he followed through on—dare she say it—for her. Maybe not. Maybe that's just how he is. Yes. He would do it for anyone.

"Am I…able to be your nakama."

She words it differently. It's meant for him. Not in the context of everyone else. And, though an idiot, his 'yes' bores in and reassures her that, yes, she is welcome here with him. It burns pink, rippling up from her toes to her nose, until her lips blindly find his. He blinks, heat more radiant now. She's effected him. It's enough for now.

She thanks him, bends into the curve of his body and finds nothing to dream of. She will wake up next to him. What else is there.

Her only ambition is to work for this spot of her's to remain constant.


End file.
